Are Hospitals Doing Enough to Fight C. diff?

May 20, 2010 -- Hospitals and other health care facilities have been taking steps to stop the spread of C. diff, a potentially life-threatening bacterium, but a new survey concludes that more needs to be done.

The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) says it is concerned about C. diff infection and worried that more isn't being done to fight it.

The APIC says a survey reveals that many "infection preventionists" -- people charged with fighting the disease -- feel that though steps have been taken, more intense efforts are needed.

In a new survey of its members, the APIC said a third of about 1,800 respondents believe their institutions ought to be doing more to prevent the spread C. diff, formally known as Clostridium difficile.

The bacterium causes diarrhea and sometimes more serious problems of the intestines, such as colitis, that can be life threatening. It is most common among the elderly who have been exposed to health care institutions, including hospitals and nursing homes. APIC officials say deaths have been rising.

The APIC's 2008 prevalence study found that 13 out of every 1,000 hospitalized patients were infected with C. diff.

According to the APIC's survey:

53% of respondents say additional steps have been taken in the past 18 months to control the spread of C. diff infection.

Fewer than 25% say they have been able to add to their infection prevention staffs.

45% indicated C. diff infection was not identified as a high-priority problem for their facility.

34% said they have an infection control plan to increase prevention steps in case of an outbreak.

30% said C. diff infection rates were declining within their facilities with their current practices

Strategies to Fight C. diff

Although the APIC survey shows that not enough is being done to combat C. diff, the survey points out some of the strategies now being used by health care facilities:

83% of respondents say their institutions now have hospital-wide hand hygiene initiatives.